Gov. John Bel Edwards told south Louisiana residents to "be where they need to be" by Saturday night (Oct. 7) at 8 p.m. ahead of Tropical Storm Nate making landfall early Sunday morning. The storm is expected to be a Category 1 hurricane by that time.

"We're asking that everyone be where they need to be by 8 o'clock Saturday night," Edwards said, acknowledging New Orleans had set a curfew for 6 p.m. Saturday.

Nate already has killed at least 22 people in Central America, and concerns about its impact prompted mandatory evacuation orders for many areas outside the hurricane levee protection system, including the easternmost portions of New Orleans, Grand Isle, Lafitte and the east bank of Plaquemines Parish.

Early voting for the Oct. 14 election will continue at all locations Saturday except for one in Plaquemines Parish. But the governor, a Democrat, and Secretary of State Tom Schedler, a Republican, encouraged people to go to early voting locations in the morning if possible. The polls for early voting are scheduled to close at 6 p.m. Saturday.

While Nate is only expected to be a Category 1 hurricane, Edwards said the state is planning as if the storm will be a Category 2 hurricane -- just in case.